Urban lifestyles that make sense
customer service
Referrals are Priceless
Jul 23rd
Nothing can hurt or help more than words and they are something that’s truly priceless.
I was checking my LinkedIn page today and saw that a few people had given me recommendations including Sam Weidner Jr who was the VP of Patriot Homes and who had written the following:
“I have had the honor and the privilege to see a true artist at work. I hired Suzanne Felber to help Patriot Homes take a new, innovative, and aggressive role in helping redefine manufactured homes as people knew them. Without question she tackled that task with enthusiasm, and a creative vigor unlike anyone had seen in our industry at the time. Suzanne has a brilliant mind for knowing design trends and how to present her designs in a way that attracts buyers from all walks of life. With her help Patriot was able to win over 9 housing design awards including an award for best marketing campaign awarded by the NAHB. If you want your products to look the best the hire the best, Suzanne Felber.”
Service Category: Professional Lifestylist
Year first hired: 2002
Top Qualities: Great Results, Good Value, Creative
It’s one thing when you think that you have given a job your all, but when you receive something like this out of the blue it makes you want to go out and work that much harder, and give that client a big hug!
I’m honored to have worked with Sam and his company, and I’m looking forward to working with him even more in the future!
For the Love of The Game
Mar 28th
I am a huge believer in karma, and you just never know where karma will lead you at the most unexpected times. Holiday Builders seems to be my hot topic of conversation this month, but I feel like I have stumbled upon an unearthed gem and it’s getting ready to shine in all of it’s brilliance. You heard it here first!
My blogs are a way for me to share new trends and ideas I see as well as a place to comment on observations I make about the world around me. One thing that I have noticed lately is how many people who are lucky enough to still have jobs seem to be miserable in them, and that lack of interest in customer service rubs off on the customer. When you are dealing with people in a bad mood it’s easy for their attitude to rub off onto you and then you are drawn into the same pattern.
After attending the Holiday Builders Open House in Ft. Worth last week I was invited to their opening in Royce City. I’m still deep into researching the entry level housing market so I was thrilled to be one of the first to see their new homes and get a feel for what Realtors® thought of their new community. It truly was a party, and again I was impressed with the support of their corporate team. They are obviously taking the Texas market seriously, and it showed in the attention to detail and how they rolled out the red carpet. When I entered the home I was amazed to see a legend standing in front of me – Nancy Lieberman! She was amazing – funny, down to earth, and made a point to spend time with I think almost everyone that was there. We are a very serious basketball family, and my niece and nephew hope to play college ball. I was sharing some issues that had come up with the coaching of my nephews team, and Nancy shared with me that what is most important is that you play because you love the game. There will be good times and bad, but if you are playing because you truly love what you do that’s all that matters. Nancy loves the game, and I can’t think of a better spokesperson, especially with all that she gives back with her kids camps and coaching. It makes me wish I would have had her when I was in school.
Timing is everything, and speaking with her helped to put things into perspective again. I’m a lifestylist® and I’m in housing because I love everything about it. Helping people find their new homes, experiencing their inner-stylist and fulfill their dreams - there just isn’t a better career out there. And it’s not just my career, it’s my passion, and I felt that passion about housing from all of the Holiday Builders team. They obviously love what they do – that’s just something you really can’t fake. And even though some of them had only 2 hours sleep the night before with other obligations and traveling, they loved sharing their company’s story and they were beaming with pride. They truly seemed to be a team, so having Ms. Lieberman as a coach seemed like the perfect fit and message.
Life is too short to not love what you do. Find out what you are passionate about and share that gift with others. You’ll never regret it. Many thanks to Nancy for reminding me of this important lesson. Take a trip out to Verandah in Royce City this weekend to experience the Holiday Builders difference for yourself!
The City Lifestylist’s Resolutions for 2009
Dec 31st
One of my favorite things about starting a New Year is being able to leave this year behind and look forward with optimism and a renewed set of goals. True, this shouldn’t be something that happens just once a year, but it’s a great time to really focus on what you want your new year to hold.
Below is a recap on what I think 2009 will hold – I’ll go into more detail as the year progresses, and change these as the world changes I’m sure in ways we could have never expected. Happy 2009 from your favorite Lifestylist® !
Your Life – Your Style
Make this the year that you break out of the stereotypes about how you should live and dress and do it your way. Paint your walls purple, embrace that favorite sweater – if it makes you happy and enables you to feel better about yourself, go for it!
Save a Life
One of the best things I ever did was start rescuing animals. We now have quite a menagerie, but they bring so much joy and happiness into my life, I can’t imagine what my life would be without them. When you have a really rotten day, nothing makes you feel better than having your furry friend curl up in your lap and make it all better.
Attitude is Everything
I predict that 2009 is going to be the year where people really start taking a hard look about how they spend their very hard-earned money and start supporting local businesses and rewarding places and individuals that offer superior customer service and make you feel like your patronage is appreciated.
Re-Purpose and Save the Planet
This year I’m going to be very careful about how I spend every dollar, and I’m already making decisions on how badly I really need something. So many times it’s just easier to go out and buy what you need instead of putting the thought into how you can use what you already have to serve that purpose. This year is going to be about less disposable things and more recycling. Not only will I save some money, I’ll also help save the planet!
Playing Dress Up
We are turning into a very casual society in dress and in the way we live. In many ways this is a good thing, but every once in awhile it’s a great idea to put on that dress, host a tea party or bring out that good china. I found a great company – lia sophia – that sells jewelry that is unique and well priced. My daughter introduced me to them, and I loved what they offered so much I have begun selling their line myself! Working out of the house makes it too easy to dress down every day, and so now that I am involved with lia sophia I make a conscious decision to wear my jewelry every time I go out, whether it’s to the grocery store or to a client meeting. I get so many compliments on it my self-esteem has been boosted and the day is much brighter.
Hang Ups
I love art – especially art by someone I’ve had the pleasure of meeting or has been picked up on a trip. Living in The Idea Factory means that I have very solid cement block walls, and because of this I’ve put off hanging most of my artwork. Art is very personal for me, and today I’m going to start putting a few holes in my walls so I can be surrounded with the color and memories that make me very happy.
Organize Your Digital Life
Have you noticed that the external hard drive is becoming the new catch-all? I’m realizing that I have tens of thousands of images and articles, but when I’m looking for that one that I need it’s never anywhere to be found. The start of a new year is the perfect time to evaluate what you need and how you store it. Take the time to remove the clutter on your desktop and put the things that you need right where you can find them. For those lucky Mac owners, the Apple stores are a great resource for getting your live moving in the right direction. It’s more important than ever to work smart and manage your time wisely.
Shake Things Up a Little
Do you feel like you are in a rut? I know I have lately – with all of the gloom and doom in the news about the economy and the other craziness out there maybe it’s time to jump out of that comfort zone and try something different for a change. I’ve been spending way too much time reading and worrying and I decided it was time to plug in the Wii fit I bought 6 months ago. I love it! It’s making me get out of my desk chair and literally breathe. Doing a little bit of exercise every day has renewed my spirit and now I’m ready to take on some new challenges.
Giving Thanks
Saying thank-you or letting someone know about exceptional service doesn’t cost a dime but can have great rewards to the person who bestowed great service on you. The next time someone goes out of their way to be gracious or helpful be sure to let them know you appreciate their help and when possible let their superiors know of their good deeds as well.
Family First
With all of the insecurity in the World right now, make suer to take time for family and remember what’s really important. A great dinner and evening at home can be priceless.
My Name is Sam
Aug 30th
I’ve had some really frustrating technology days lately -because I had to have an iPhone (which I love) I’m using AT&T for my internet provider and other services. To say there customer service is non-existent is an understatement – I’ve been waiting here all day for a tech guy to come and fix my service yet again. The appointment was for 8am and still no calls or tech.
I’m getting better at fixing things myself – a skill that I have no interest in but it’s out of necessity, and after messing with things for awhile I realized my new modem isn’t working. Funny – the old one that they told me wasn’t working started right up when I tried it so we seem to have a temporary solution, but now my brand new HP printer refuses to work.
The logical next step seemed to be to go to the HP website and see if I could find a solution, no luck there so I called the 800 customer service number. After having to call back 15 times because when I talked to “Sam” – each time a different person and each time “Sam” either couldn’t comprehend English or I got disconnected, I realized that HP really wasn’t interested in keeping me as a customer and that Sam must have been the code word for “we’ll just string them along until they get tired of calling.”
I’ll never buy another HP product and will use them as an example of how lack of customer service can kill a company. How you treat your customers after the sale is as important as the product or service you are providing, and a bad experience can undermine all of the things that you are doing right. The next time you are in the market for something, keep in mind how you will be treated after the purchase and if their customer support is handled locally or farmed out overseas.
It’s a Kodak World
Aug 30th
Sometimes things just happen for a reason, and today was one of those days. A perfect Spring day with colors that in Texas we only get to enjoy a few weeks a year, my Homearama house that I’m designing for @Home Builders just keeps getting better, and there was a great article about Kodak and the digital age in the NY Times.
I was busy updating one of my blogs last night and came across an entry that I had written about Hewlett Packard and my frustration with the printers I had purchased from them and their disinterest in customers, customer service and the quality of their product. Hey – they are HP and they own the market – why should they care?
So here is the story about Kodak and how they are really focusing their business to compete in the digital age and I couldn’t agree more. Here is a company that understands what customers look to them for – images – and they are taking that into new areas that they haven’t been competitive in before. It was a eureka moment for me – my point and shoot digital camera is a Kodak that I turned my camera snobby nose up at when it was recommended to me and now I can’t imagine life without it. This Lifestylist® is going to turn these five lousy expensive HP printers that I got talked into and that”Sam” can’t seem to get to work into planters and go out to check out a brand that is as all American as the town that it is headquartered in.